America's Second Lady Supports The Komen Global Race For The Cure

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA) -- Dr. Jill Biden and her husband, Vice-President Joe Biden, feel privileged to serve as honorary co-chairs of the Komen Global Race for the Cure again this year.

"Our family is honored to once again participate in the global fight against breast cancer," said Dr. Biden. "I encourage everyone to join in this fight and support ongoing efforts of prevention, detection, and treatment of this disease as we work towards finding a cure and future free of breast cancer. "

The Biden's active participation in the Washington, DC race will continue a tradition that was started by vice presidents and their wives in 1990.

Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker told 9NEWS NOW, "We are so happy that they are part of the race. It is important to have support from public policy leaders in America."

Jill Biden is not a survivor, but she is a passionate, long-time advocate for breast health education and outreach. Like most people, she has friends who are survivors and friends who were taken from her by this disease.

"I thought, what can I do, I had to do something. So I thought, I am an educator, so I will do something through education," Dr. Biden said.

What she did for education was establish the Biden's Breast Health Initiative. Since 1993, it has taught more than 13,000 ninth through twelfth grade girls in Delaware about proper breast health care.

Dr. Biden told 9NEWS NOW, "We got the conversation going, and that's why I think it is important that these girls are thinking about it, and they take it home and ask their moms do you do breast self exams, have you gotten a mammogram."

Dr. Biden believes women now have the opportunity to be even more vigilant about their breast health thanks to health care reform.